This invention is directed towards safety devices for candles. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically actuating candle snuffers and extinguishers.
One of the hottest selling products in today""s market are candles. These candles come in all shapes, sizes, colors, scents, and containers. Increasingly, candles are being used to set atmosphere, light rooms, change the smell of a room with fragrances, or the like. Unfortunately, one common feature of all candles is that when left unattended for too long a period of time or disturbed they can cause fires. Recently, there has been a real increase in the frequency, severity, and reporting of fires. The worst cases are when these fires are in apartment houses or social houses since there is an even larger potential for damage to property, and even worse, and increased potential for death.
Manufacturers have recognized this problem and are trying to combat the increasing occurrence of fires caused by candles by producing candles in containers, such as jars or the like. Although this solution has been moderately successful in some ways, there are still fires starting because of unattended or forgotten candles being in these containers or when these candles are disturbed in some fashion. One reason for this is users falsely assumed the candles in containers are safer because of their configuration.
Therefore, a need exists for a safety device for candles in containers that automatically extinguishes a candle in a container after a user selected predetermined duration of time has passed. Further, there is a need for a safety device for candles in containers that can automatically extinguish the candle if the container is disturbed.
According to the present invention, a method and apparatus is taught for a safety device for a lighted device in a container. The safety device comprises a closing device, an attachment device, and a holding device. The safety device further comprises a coupler configured to operatively couple the closing device, the attachment device, and the holding device so that the closing device moves between a first and second position. There is also an extension coupled to and extending from a surface of the closing device, a securing system coupled to the attachment device, and a timing device coupled to and protruding from a surface of the holding device. Finally, the timing device is operatively configured to interact with the extension when the closing device is in the second position to actuate movement of the closing device into the first position so that the lighted device in the container is extinguished in a predetermined amount of time.
A main advantage of this configuration is that a container containing a candle can automatically be closed, extinguishing the candle, after a user selected predetermined amount of time has elapsed based on the timing device interacting with the extension.